We Sit In The Mud And Reach For The Stars
by Cheesecake-and-Pengins
Summary: Jackie loses a shoe and Robbie's there to lend a hand. A completely random and plot-less entry for the MUD prompt, I gave it an original title and everything.


**Mud:: We Sit In The Mud...And Reach For The Stars**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I clearly don't own Taggart. I barely even own the laptop I used to write this since mine damn near exploded.<strong>

**I actually wrote this ages ago, like about two days after the prompt was published but I kept procrastinating the hell out of typing it up and getting it posted. The only actual way I could take the the piss any more deadline wise would be to post it just before midnight, but it's finally up so...where's my brownie point? :D**

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><p>Jackie's face scrunched into a look of disgust as her right heel refused to come loose from the soft earth. Sighing irritably she leaned down in order to tug it out, balancing precariously on her other foot as she did so. She should have seen this coming the moment Burke announced who they were being sent to interview, Callum Murray was infamous in Maryhill and not just because at least half of the station personally wanted him behind bars. His cottage was isolated from the other houses around him by lush green fields, the same fields that also blocked it from the main road. The only access was a dirt track that was almost impassable when it rained and the dirt turned to thick mud with the consistency of sludge.<p>

The car had only made it a few yards before it had stuck to the ground, the back two wheels spinning uselessly as Robbie kept gunning the engine, refusing to give up. Groaning in frustration, he had hit the steering wheel with both hands, finally taking his foot off the accelerator.

"So are you going to push or am I?" He had asked her, grinning stupidly as he saw the look of surprise that crossed her face before she glared at him. "So that would be me then." He had muttered reluctantly, groaning once more as the rain got heavier just as he stepped from the car. She had watched him as he toiled in the muck, smirking as he slid once or twice on the unstable ground. Eventually, after nearly half an hour or so of struggling, he finally gave up, slamming the door behind him as he had slid back into the driver's seat. As if on queue the rain, which had grown steadily weaker the past few moments, gave up completely causing Robbie to mutter angrily under his breath and Jackie to hide an unladylike snort behind her hand.

"We're going to have to walk the rest of the way." He'd commented blandly and if Jackie hadn't known any better she would have said that the situation wasn't bothering him. She couldn't have missed the opportunity to say what she had next, the look on his face alone had made it worth it.

"Well at least it's not raining any more." He had, quite expectantly, huffed at her response but had otherwise made no comment, choosing instead to get back out of the car, already striding ahead before she had even got the door open. He had kept a distance from her as they went, not necessarily a large one as they were close enough to speak to each other if they raised their voices a little, but far enough for her to get the idea that he wanted to be alone. They had got perhaps halfway to their destination when her shoe had came loose, trapping her in her current predicament.

Sighing once more she stretched her hand down towards the wayward shoe, wobbling unsteadily on her one shoe clad foot. She was just a few inches short, her fingers brushing uselessly at the air above the strap, if she leaned down any further however she would end up face first in the mud. Straightening back up she was contemplating how to get out of her situation when she heard a deep chuckle from up ahead. Growling already in anger and frustration, she jerked her head up in order to glare hard at Robbie as he stood a few yards in front of her, his face lit by a smile as he laughed at her. Scowling deeper at the sight of him and his obvious amusement she couldn't prevent the snarky comment that followed.

"You could help you know."

"I know, I know. But you...I mean your face." He could barely finish a sentence without spluttering over one of the words, his speech becoming fragmented the more she glared as he laughed harder.

"How eloquent." She replied deadpan. "Now give me a hand Robbie, my leg's starting to hurt, I don't think I can stay like this much longer. Besides, I think my shoes are ruined." She pouted slightly before adding the last part, silently mourning the loss of her new heeled beauties, she had only worn them once after all. He snorted once more, a sound she almost missed as he had covered his mouth with his hand in an attempt to muffle it.

"Robbie!" She exclaimed loudly, the threat clear in her voice. He rolled his eyes in response as he walked back towards her.

"I wasn't exactly going to leave you like this you know." He admonished lightly as his arm wrapped around her waist, holding her firmly against him. He was so close that the last part had been said almost directly into her ear making her shiver.

"You could've came sooner though." She scolded half heartedly, any sting behind the words made irrelevant as she leaned into him a little for support. Resting her weight against her partner she once again reached down towards her wayward shoe, stretching her arm out as far as it would go before it started to twinge in complaint. Waggling her fingers to gain an extra few centimetres, she let out a gasp of delight as the tips of her fingers made contact with the soft leather. Her exclamation soon turned to a shout of surprise however as her small achievement threw off her equilibrium, causing her to windmill her arms frantically in an attempt to regain her balance. The frenzied motions had the unfortunate effect of pitching her forward and dislodging Robbie's hold on her in the process.

In the future when looking back at that moment she would give him more credit for lunging after her in an attempt to help. As it was, the untimely face mask she was now wearing made it difficult for her to see anything other than her own rage and embarrassment. Standing up, she wiped her hands on the one small patch on her trousers that wasn't already covered then used her slightly cleaner hands to swipe the dirt from her face.

"Don't even think about it." She stated sternly, her face grim beneath the streaks of muck. He immediately raised his hands defensively, his face carefully masking anything he felt.

"I didn't say anything." Looking at him incredulously, she turned on her heel and began to make her way back to the car, stopping only to pick up 'The Shoe', and warn him over her shoulder.

"Then keep it that way."

"Where are you going, we've got to interview Murray? Jacks? Jackie?" She heard him huff in frustration as she refused to answer him but kept walking. There was no way in hell she was conducting an interview in the state she was in, it would be completely unprofessional. She clenched her hand tighter around her ruined shoe as she got to the car, using it to hit the roof in irritation as she realised she didn't have the keys to open the car. Leaning against the door she let her head fall back to rest against the frame, her eyes closed. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but hope that she was getting muck all over his car, even if it was a little petty.

She felt his arm brush hers as he settled against the car beside her, hearing him sigh theatrically as he clearly tried to get her attention. She ignored him, refusing to open her eyes as she reasoned that it might make him open the door a bit quicker so she could go home and get cleaned up. Neither of them said anything for a while and the silence was just beginning to unnerve her when she felt him shift beside her as his hand brushed lightly across her face. Her eyes shot open at the touch to see him leaning over her, one hand outstretched as it still rested against her cheek and her face flushed at the intimacy of the situation.

"You had mud on your face." He stated softly, his gaze fixed determinedly on hers.

"I have mud everywhere." She shot back, her voice harsh from nervousness. She didn't realise the full implications of her statement until she saw him smirk, making her blush harder so that her face felt like it was on fire. She fervently hoped that he would let the comment pass by, she didn't think that she would be able to handle _that _conversation in her current emotional state. Thinking rapidly, she tried to change the subject before he could respond. "Which is probably why I should get cleaned up. We do have an interview to conduct after all."

"Why can't you just do it now and get changed afterwards?" He asked quietly, the smirk still on his face. Jackie could only glare at him in response, her previous embarrassment forgotten.

"Seriously? Robbie, I look like I was dragged through a hedge backwards."

"You look fine jacks, just a bit dishevelled." He could barely contain the smile that crossed his face then, causing her to snap angrily.

"Yeah right. Try saying it with a straight face." A strange look passed over his features as his hand moved back to her face to softly caress her cheek. His voice was soft as he spoke, his breath ghosting her cheek as he leaned in closer to her.

"You're always beautiful Jackie." Any comments stuck in her throat as she felt his lips press softly into hers and inconceivable as it was, she was suddenly glad that she had fallen into the mud after all, even if it did cost her, her shoes.

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